Groovin the Moo music festival changes venues following Kawana Football Club damage

A popular music festival will be returning to the Sunshine Coast at a new location this year after 2023’s event significantly damaged the fields of a local football club and left them without a home for more than two months.

A popular music festival will be returning to the Sunshine Coast at a new location this year after 2023’s event significantly damaged the fields of a local football club and left them without a home for more than two months.

Groovin the Moo announced it will be returning to the region in May and will be hosted at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

More than 25,000 people headed to the Kawana Sports Western Precinct to enjoy last year’s line-up of Amy Shark, Ball Park Music and Alt-J.

at Groovin the Moo, Sunshine Coast 2023. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Though the festival’s first venture to the region wasn’t without issue, as punters were left stranded with no way home due to transport issues and Kawana Football Club were left with nowhere to train for two months.

The grounds are also home to Kawana Touch Football Association and the Sunshine Coast Fire.

Groovin the Moo will be held on May 5 they announced in a statement.

“Last year our first ever Sunny Coast show sold out in just a few days. This year, we’re moving ever so slightly to a more spacious and central venue, the Sunshine Coast Stadium Precinct,” the statement read.

Groovin the Moo aftermath at Kawana Sports Western Precinct, 2023. Picture – Sunshine Coast Daily.

Kawana Football Club president Todd Forrest said they welcomed the change of venue.

“We are very happy the event is being moved to the stadium, finally common sense prevails,” he said.

“The major event can be held in a major venue like all the other major events are held.”

Member for Kawana Jarrod Bleijie was outraged last year when the Kawana fields were “reduced to tyre marks and mud”.

He said the relocation made sense for all involved.

“I am very pleased to see that common sense has prevailed and we won’t see a repeat of the disaster for community sporting clubs that we saw last year,” he said.

“This is a win for community sporting groups and for common sense”.

Member for Kawana Jarrod Bleijie is happy the event has been moved. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Sunshine Coast Stadium is the home of Queensland Cup rugby league team the Falcons, with the festival pencilled in for the middle of their season.

Club CEO Chris Flannery declined to comment on the situation.

Sunshine Coast Council Division 3 Councillor Peter Cox welcomed the festival back – saying venue selection was decided by the promoter, not council.

“Groovin the Moo is an exciting event for our region and a huge bonus for locals to see major music headliners in their own backyard,” Cr Cox said.

GOING AGAIN: Division 3 councillor Peter Cox is running for re-election.

“In 2023, due to prior bookings and alternative user group activity, the Sunshine Coast Stadium was not available for the date/s requested by the promoter. The Western Fields provided a logical solution to host this positive event opportunity and scale of event within the wider Kawana Sports Precinct.

“The Sunshine Coast Falcons are not impacted by this event. Neither their training field nor game field will be used for this year’s festival.

“Sunshine Coast Council has had regular communications with our stadium precinct clubs and they will be provided alternative training fields for the event period,” he said.

Originally published as Groovin the Moo music festival changes venues following Kawana Football Club damage